When I'm 64
by thecoldest raindrops are tears
Summary: This story follows Mulan and Shang 20 years after they are married. OneShot : Enjoy!
1. Sweet Children O' Mine

**Author's Note: Our hero and heroine are older! But like everyone else, no one wants to see their favorite heroes old, so I made Mulan and Shang seem young. In this story, I'm kinda making fun of our society, with teenagers and their want for freedom. However, instead of cars, we'll use Khan. :) I got this story idea from watching The Secret Life of the American Teenager...it's pretty funny. OneShot...no continuation, unless you want me to. Anyways, I named this story after the Beatles song When I'm 64, because to me, it describes Mulan and Shang's relationship.**

**Enjoy! R&R!**

* * *

It was twenty years after Mulan and Shang were married. They had managed to produce six healthy kids: three boys and three girls. Being so healthy, fit and what not, Mulan and Shang barely looked a day older than twenty. Their kids also stayed fit and healthy. After all, with parents who are involved so much in the army, how could they not stay fit? However, thanks to Shang's peace keeping tactics, China was safe, meaning he did not have to fight any wars. As the years passed, not only did Mulan and Shang grow, but so did their kids.

Two of the girls, Mei and Lanying, were going to meet the Matchmaker any day, much to Mulan's dismay. These girls were prepared well and looked like beautiful brides. All the girls looked like their mother and had a bit of Shang's features. Of course, these girls were beautiful. The youngest, was preparing for the Matchmaker still and would see her in a year. She resembled her mother the most. Jia had her mother's spirit, but unlike Mulan, she was not bold enough to join the army. Not that Shang would allow her to anyway.

The three boys were all enrolled in the Army Academy. Just like their father, they were the best in their class. Chen, the oldest, was the strongest. He took after his father. Zhou was the middle child. However, thanks to his cunningness and wit, which he got from his mother, he was the playmaker. Zhou came up with all the strategies. The youngest, Mao, was the quickest and was just as strong. However, he was also the most careless. While Chen and Zhou were perfectionist, Mao was a man to just jump in and face the enemy without a plan and to just "wing-it". These boys were just as handsome as their father, but also had their mother's features. Soon they would marry off.

Days in the Li residence were often crazy and chaotic. With three boys fighting and causing a ruckus, and three pampered girls who sometimes unlike their mother, refused to play along, there were a lot of disagreements in the house. The kids would sometimes drive Mulan and Shang crazy. But they would often take that crazy energy outside instead and work on more chores, as punishment. As the kids got older, Mulan and Shang rarely would see them. Yet, every night at dinner and every week day night, they would always gather together and eat and talk and bond as a family, which were Mulan's rules.

However there seemed like a new wind was blowing in the house, which would affect all of them.

"Who wants to go take Khan for a ride to get the groceries?" Mulan asked from the kitchen. She had forced all the kids to stay inside as punishment and do chores for causing a ruckus. All at once, they jumped up and ran for the keys to the stable. But just before they reached the kitchen, Mulan stopped them. She was cleaning the floor.

"You all have been rowdy," Mulan looked at all of them, "Now the boys, even though I should expect this, I am disappointed. Your father will be hearing this." The boys all looked down. They were scared of their father's anger and wrath. The boys wished they could stand up to him like their mother, but none of them had the guts to. "I want you boys to go outside and cut the grass, while the others harvest the wheat outside." The boys listened to their mother and walked outside, grabbing the tools from the nearby room.

"As for you girls," she turned to them, "You need to behave like ladies. Must I remind you that you are getting married very soon and preparing to see the Matchmaker? Now if I know that dragon lady, she will not be easy on any of you."

"But mama," Mei replied, "You were just like us when you were our age: rowdy and disobedient. I do not really wish to see the Matchmaker."

Mulan shook her head. This was what she feared would happened. She wished her girls would follow their hearts, but how else would they be married. But Mulan knew who had been courting Mei and Lanying. Her best friend next door also had two sons, who wished to marry her daughters, and it seemed her daughters also had mutual affection. These men asked for Mulan and Shang's blessing, which they agreed to. Yet Mulan felt these men were just like Shang and just as shy, so she figured it would be a while. But as for now, she had to get them to prepare for the Matchmaker. They would find out soon enough that they would not have to go through her. "Do not say that to me Li Mei," Mulan warned her sternly, "I disobeyed my parents and overthrew cultural barriers to save my father's life. Now I do not think you would do that! And your father proposed to me. I got married. I was lucky. And even if a man wishes to propose to you or Lanying, I still want you to prepare for the Matchmaker just in case."

Both girls nodded in agreement, "Yes mama," they replied.

"Go and do some cleaning inside the barn," Mulan smirked.

"But mama?" the girls whined. The barn was filthy and usually Mulan and Shang did it. But now the girls would have to do it as punishment for talking back. Mulan threw them a stern look and the girls walked away without another word.

"Jia," Mulan beckoned her to stay. She always felt she had a special connection to her. Mulan probably thought it was because she resembled her the most. Jia was feisty, strong, and cunning. Mulan knew she would have the hardest time getting her to the Matchmaker, just as parents did with her. However, out of all her children, Jia was the most behaved, which was something she probably inherited from Shang.

"Yes mama?" she asked.

"I need you to take Khan out and buy these groceries. Bring these back as soon as you can, and you may go out and take Khan. But you must be back by sunset, before any of your brothers or sister notice you," Mulan handed her the list and Jia looked it over.

"Mama," Jia replied, "This list calls for double the milk and double the fruit we usually get. Are you certain about this?"

Mulan nodded. Her daughter often looked over the list first to plan her route. Sometimes she corrected her mother, but that rare. "I need all those things dear."

"Mama," Jia looked her in the eyes, "Are you with child? Last time you bought this much, was when you were pregnant with Mao."

"How do you remember that?" she asked, "You were probably only a year old."

Jia shrugged. "So is it true?"

Mulan smiled and nodded. Jia squealed with joy and immediately ran to hug her mother. "Does baba know?" she asked.

"Yes your father does know," Mulan grinned.

Jia laughed, "Of course he knows!"

Mulan blushed but threw her a look saying, "_you should not have known that_."

Jia squealed again and hugged her mother. Mulan sighed and handed her the stable keys to get Khan. Jia immediately ran out the front door.

Mulan sighed and went back to work. She took a glance at her stomach. You could barely see anything. She put her hands on her stomach and could feel the heartbeat. Mulan smiled.

Shang ran in from the back door and closed it. He then walked into the kitchen and greeted Mulan. "I hear screaming coming from our barn," he looked at Mulan questionably, "Should I be concerned?"

Mulan grinned and shook her head no. "Your sons and daughters decided to be rowdy today and create chaos for me. I sent your sons out to harvest the wheat and cut the grass. Your daughters decided to be smart with me and say that they shouldn't go to the Matchmaker because I did not. And Jia found out that I am pregnant. You know, everyone is still surprised that I had six kids. Now everyone is going to be surprised that I'm having a child in my old age."

Shang winced and smiled at Mulan. "I'm sorry darling," he pulled her into his embraced and kissed her gently on the lips. "But if it is any consolation, I don't think you're old."

Mulan sighed, "You know, it's that smile that caused me to have this child in the first place."

Shang laughed and a cocky smile spread across his face, "Maybe you're just a little weak. Besides," he looked at her flirtatiously, "it certainly wouldn't hurt to have one more now would it?"

Mulan laughed, "Speak for yourself, General. You're not the one giving birth here."

She kissed him on the lips, but didn't pull away this time. The kiss became quicker and more passionate as Shang slid his hands down her body. "Let's go to the bedroom," he said breathlessly in her ear, "Our kids are outside. We need some alone time."

Mulan laughed softly and agreed. She continued to kiss him, until Jia ran in back to the kitchen. "Mama, I forgot to ask if this was everything that you…"

She stopped as she noticed her parents kissing in the kitchen. Jia hadn't hoped to stop them, but her parents noticed that she was there. Mulan smiled at her, but Shang frowned and looked away.

"I'm sorry," she said as she backed away, "I'll just take Khan and go now. Um…Mei and Lanying are really messy, so it'll be a while before they are finished. And the boys, well they, uh, they're going to go stay with the boys next door. But we'll be back by dinner time…" She ran out the front door. It was pretty awkward to see her parents like that.

Mulan laughed. Shang kissed her on the lips. He placed one of his hands on her stomach to feel the baby and then picked Mulan up to be in his arms. Shang then carried her to the bedroom, like a groom does to his bride.

While lying in bed, Shang whispered in his wife's ears. "You know Mulan, for what it's worth, I think you're a great wife." She giggled and kissed Shang. Mulan and Shang knew their kids would be home soon, but they didn't care. And just like children, they always find their way back home, back at the beginning.


	2. The First Date

**Author's Note: Due to a demand for a continuation (I've gotten several messages and some reviews wanting a continuation), I wrote another chapter. I am really liking this story honestly. And if you want me to continue, you know what to do...write me a review saying how much you loved this! Thank you to all the reviewers and readers! These stories are always for you!**

"Mommy!" Mao ran to his mother, after a long day of schooling. The boy, who was usually zany, seemed unusually overexcited today. He ran up to his mother who was in the kitchen preparing another dinner. Mao was out of breath from running and grinning at his mother.

Mulan moved from the dinner to stare at her youngest child. She sighed and looked at his shoes, which were soaked in mud, while the child's clothes were caked with dirt and sand from the road. "Mao," she smiled, keeping calm, "What is it sweetie?"

Not long after, his three sisters and two brothers came walking in talking as loudly as could be. Within the next two seconds, groans, complaints and whines came from the loud bunch. Mulan smiled. She guessed that they had seen the mud tracks on the floor. "Mao!" They all groaned and followed the tracks to their youngest brother in the kitchen.

Mulan laughed, "You know the rules kids. You let him out of your sight, he made a mess, and you clean him up."

Chen grabbed his little brother and threw him up in the air. He then caught Mao and took him outside to wash him and his boots off. "You little troublemaker," he jokingly warned him, "Next time you do that, I'm feeding you to the chickens."

Immediately the other kids grabbed buckets and cloths to wipe the floor, all complaining about their little brother while doing so. Mei and Lanying filled the buckets with water and soap while Zhou and Jia scrubbed the floor clean. Mulan smiled at this teamwork. She had clearly taught these children well. It was a regular military household. Soon however, the work turned into fun. The boys and girls took turns sliding along the floor on the dirty wet cloths.

"No," Mulan sternly gave them a look, "Stop playing around. There's more work to be done around here before your father gets home. You know what to do."

They all groaned. Zhou, who was first to complain, argued with his mother, "Didn't you ever have fun?"

Mulan smiled. "You know just as well that I had plenty of fun saving your country so you wouldn't be born a Hun baby or a Mongol baby and getting harsh training from your father. If you think about it actually, no I never really did have enough fun." Zhou smiled, thinking he was let off easy, but Mulan had other plans. "So, since I never really had any fun, why don't you do all of my chores once you get home? Starting tonight after dinner. That way, I'll understand what you mean when you're missing out on all the fun."

The girls laughed and mocked their brother, who growled and cursed his big mouth. Chen, who had just walked in with Mao, smiled and warned his little brother, "Never mess with mother."

Zhou growled, "Yeah thanks for warning me earlier. Who taught you that little lesson?"

"Father," Chen laughed. "I'd thought you have learned that lesson by now."

"Oh," Mulan continued, "And just to make sure you don't skip out after your schooling so you can skip out on chores, I'll make sure that you get home." She turned to her other children, "If your brother does not come home on time, all of your chores will be doubled." At once, all the children smirked and grinned at their brother, in a way confirming that they would make sure he got home. Mulan then turned to look at her youngest son, who was standing at the door shivering. "Chen," she called her oldest son, who was helping dry up the floors.

"Yes?" He asked, looking up from his work on the floor.

"Can you get some towels? Mao is cold and still a bit soaked from his bath." She asked him. Mulan then gestured for Mao to walk over to her in the kitchen. Chen quickly came into the kitchen and brought towels. Mulan then knelt down and dried her son. She smiled when her son started to giggle. "Mao," she whispered. "Can you keep a secret?"

Mao grinned and nodded.

"That's what I thought," Mulan smiled. "Your older brother Zhou is in trouble with me. Can you follow him after school and make sure he goes straight home? I'll give you a nice little treat as soon as you get home, and I'll double it if he gets here earlier than usual. But you have to make sure this stays a secret between you and me. Pinky promise?" Mulan extended her pinky out to her son, who smiled and took it with his pinky. She smiled, stood up, and played Mao's hair. "Good boy, now go and get dressed so you can ask me what you were going to ask me when you got home."

Mao's eyes widened instantly and he ran to his room.

Mulan sighed and got back to work making dinner. It was less than an hour that the kids were home and Mulan was already stressed out. She looked out the window, shadows were growing on the walls, _it won't be long before you get home_, she thought.

"Can I help make dinner mother?" Zhou asked sweetly.

"Making dinner won't get you off the hook sweetie," Mulan smirked. The other children snickered.

"I know," Zhou answered, "I just might as well start and help since I'm going to be doing this tomorrow anyway."

Mulan laughed. "Do you want to die?"

Zhou's eyes opened in shock, not exactly understanding what his mother meant. He looked nervously at the knife she was holding in her hand. Zhou opened his mouth and started mouthing but not knowing what to say. His mother was a well trained assassin and any movement could be used against him. "No…no…I…I…" he stuttered.

The other children started laughing. The girls started crying from laughing so hard. Chen fell on the floor laughing so hard.

Mulan, who saw the shock on her son's face, realized her choice in words. "Sweetie," she dropped the knife and placed the hand that was not contaminated with meat blood to pat him in the shoulder, "I wasn't going to kill you. What I meant was, do you want to be poisoned? Your cooking is not the best. Your father would not be happy if I allowed you to cook. And neither will your brothers and sisters."

Zhou sighed and sat down on the couch. His brothers and sisters, after cleaning up, then joined him. Soon Mao came running in, with paper and ink. He sat at the counter adjacent to his mother. "Mommy, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Okay," Mulan said, still not looking up from the dinner preparation. "What is it?"

"Can you tell me a story? A story about you, not a fairytale story, a real adventure you had or something? More specifically, one of your favorite stories?" He asked his mother.

Mulan looked up from the preparation and smiled. Immediately the other children looked up at their mother, wondering what story she would say. She got the food and walked over to the fire oven to put the food in, contemplating on what story. Mulan thought about what Mao had said, "_a story about you, not a fairytale story_." She smiled thinking, "_every one of my stories is like a fairytale._" She then looked out the window wondering where her "prince charming" was. Mulan walked over to where her son was sitting and pulled sat near him. "What story do you want to hear?"

Mao shrugged. "Well, I don't know. I've never really heard any of your stories. Why don't you pick…"

"Ask mom about how she saved China," Jia yelled, interrupting her brother.

Mao's eyes widened. "You saved China?" he asked incredulously.

Mulan smiled and nodded. She opened her mouth to start speaking, but Zhou beat her to it.

"No," He said, "That's a bit too long of a story. Why don't you ask her about the story about how she saved the Emperor at the palace? That's the best story ever."

"You saved the Emperor also?" Mao asked happily. Mulan smiled and laughed again. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted again.

"No way," Chen blurted out, arguing with his brother. "The attack on the mountain was way more interesting. Mother killed over a hundred thousand soldiers in just one blast, without even harming any of her comrades."

"You've faced over a hundred thousand enemy soldiers?" Mao asked even more excitedly. Mulan nodded and opened her mouth to speak again, but was interrupted again.

"No," Lanying said louder than the two boys, "Ask mother about her encounter with the Matchmaker!"

Mei scoffed. "No way! Ask her about her wedding ceremony in Qui Gong. That's more interesting! There was action, romance, intrigue, and…"

Zhou interrupted her. "Mao isn't interested in all of that! He just wants to hear a good action story!"

"Mother's epic about saving China deserves to be heard by everyone!" Jia argued.

"Yeah," Chen yelled, "Well the attack on the mountain is the best story!"

"Hello?" Lanying yelled even louder than before, "The Matchmaker story is funny and not about any romance or anything. Mao you should write this down. Mother…"

"He will write whatever he wants to write," Chen yelled. "It's not up to you to decide!"

All at once the children started arguing, while Mao sat watching his brothers and sisters contemplating on what to write. Each one would yell over the other, arguing that their story was better. Over and over again they would yell their case and give their points, screaming louder and louder making sure they would be heard. Mulan looked at her children and opened her mouth to stop them, but closed it and kept quiet. She had wanted to say something all this time, but of course they kept interrupting her. She decided that once they decided to quiet down, she would ask Mao to decide instead, since it was his paper. She sighed. Mulan was too tired. She would let Shang deal with it instead.

At that moment, the back door swung open and in came General Shang. He looked immediately at his arguing children and boomed, "What is going on here?" Instantly, they stopped arguing and sat down, hoping not to face their father's wrath. Shang glared at every one of them and then sighed and walked over to Mao and his wife, who was smiling at him. "Hey little guy," he said to Mao and playfully punched him on the arm. "How was school today?"

Mao smiled. "It was good. The reason why they're arguing is because of me."

Shang laughed. "Oh is that so?"

He smiled and turned to his face his wife. Shang kissed her gently on the lips. "How was your day today? Food smells good," he smiled.

Mulan smiled and got up to follow her husband into the kitchen. "Zhou offered to cook to make up for his back talk."

"Please tell me you denied it," Shang pleaded.

Mulan laughed. "I did, don't worry. But um, now Zhou has to do all of my chores for two weeks, just so I can have fun and experience it myself."

"Ooh getting a little moody there were you?" Shang asked jokingly. Mulan, however, did not take it lightly. She threw him a look. "I was kidding!" He immediately said. Mulan still glared at him. Shang sighed and smiled, walking towards her. He put one arm around her waist and the other on her stomach. Mulan sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "How is our baby?"

Mulan smiled. "I went to the doctor today. The baby is perfectly healthy. I just need to keep eating healthily and staying active."

"Well," Shang sighed. "Either way these children are going to have to take over your chores soon. I can't have you working hard with another baby in your stomach."

Mulan laughed. "Shang I'm having a baby not losing a leg. I can still do some chores. I need to stay active while I'm gaining so many pounds."

Shang laughed, "You're not fat. Hell, I even remember when everybody used to give you harsh reprimanding for being so skinny."

"Are you saying I'm not skinny anymore?" Mulan asked. She punched him in the stomach.

"No," Shang groaned. "I would hit you back but you've got another person there, and I don't want to hurt him, or her."

Mulan laughed, "You wouldn't hit me anyway."

Shang smiled, "You know me so well."

"I love you Li Shang," Mulan turned and kissed him and then stroked his face. She grabbed his hand and led him to the living room. "Let's go check on our children. They're too quiet."

Shang whined. "Aww do I have to?" Mulan laughed. "What were they arguing about anyway?" he asked.

They still sat there glaring at each other and muttering insults at each other. The argument was barely louder than a regular conversation. The boys sat with clenched fists while the girls sat with their arms crossed and turned away from each other. Chen said something and Zhou immediately stood up with a tight clenched fist. Chen also stood up and stood ready to retaliate.

"Hey, hey," Shang angrily said when he entered the room and saw his two boys, "Sit down and calm it!" He waited for the boys to sit down. Shang gestured for Mao to sit somewhere else so Shang could sit next to Mulan. "What is this all about?" All at once the children opened their mouths, but Shang knew what was coming. "One at a time. I don't want anymore yelling." He sighed and turned to Mao. "Mao, what did you do to cause your brothers and sisters to yell so much?"

Mao smiled. "I didn't even ask them a single thing. All I did was ask mommy to tell me a story about herself, and it couldn't be a fairytale story."

Shang smirked and then turned to his wife. "Not a fairytale story huh?" Mulan smiled and Shang put an arm around her. She then leaned on him and put her hand over his hand. "Does that make me Prince Charming or the knight in shining armor?" he asked jokingly.

"How about the princess?" Mulan replied. "I saved you twice."

Shang laughed, "Yeah but I killed myself so you could live on the bridge and I saved you from a horrible marriage with that prince. See either way you would have been miserable, if you hadn't saved my life we wouldn't be talking about it now. It's not like you didn't love me when you saved my life all those times."

Mulan immediately lifted her head up to look him in the face, "Yeah, but you wouldn't be alive anyway and have these amazing wonderful kids."

Shang smiled. "So tell me again, why did we have kids?"

Mulan laughed and the kids objected.

"We would have been living in royalty?" Lanying asked disbelievingly. "I would have been a princess? And not to mention, queen or Empress?"

Mulan threw her a look. "You, my dear, would not have been born. My first child with that man would have looked like you, but shorter, a bit more hunched over, and uglier."

Shang laughed, "Now that is mean. Sure the guy was a bit on the childish side, but he wasn't that ugly."

"Wait, wait, wait," Jia said, interrupting them. "Mother, you were in the same branch of the army with father? The army is so large. How did you two get to be in the same branch?"

"Your father was Captain at the time Jia," Mulan replied. "He was my Captain and the reason why I'm as good as a fighter now. He trained all the recruits while your late grandfather fought in the battle up on the mountain. It wasn't until your grandfather died that your father became General."

"Dad," Chen said, without trying to laugh, "Mom saved you twice?"

Shang threw his oldest son a look.

Mao immediately looked up and yelled, "I know what I want to write about! I want to write about your first date, where you two first met. It seems like these war stories are something I'll find in the history books later. I want to hear a story that no one else would have heard about."

Mulan smiled. "Well our first date was at grandma and grandpa's house, or my childhood house…"

Shang looked at Mulan, "Our first date was at the palace."

"Are you serious?" Mulan looked at him carefully looking for any sign of doubt. "So are you saying that our first date was saving China?"

Shang shrugged. "Yes, why not?"

"Because it wasn't really a date!" Mulan retorted.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Shang asked.

"Wait," Chen said, and he looked to Mao who was scribbling down some notes, "I have an idea. We can settle this." He turned to Shang, "Dad, you'll give your view on your first date and mom will give her view on hers. Then Mao will choose which story he wants to tell and then all the rest of us will decide on what was really the first date."

Mulan and Shang looked at each and nodded, "Deal."

"Well since everyone here knows the story already, I'll just give my reasoning for why I think it was the first date!" Shang said.

"Wait," Mao said, "I've heard the story from the history books and part of me thinks that's not the whole story."

"Just wait until you get older," Zhou told him, "It goes into farther detail and then you get to compare it to Sun Tzi's _Art of War_ tactics and just see exactly how great of a warrior and a leader mom and dad really are."

"And I've only heard parts of the story from mother's point of view just right before I go to sleep," Mao said. "So father, can you tell me the story from your point of view?"

"Well it's a mighty long story, and I don't want you to not hear your mother's story either," Shang said. "So how about I just go over parts of the story that I think were the first date."

Mao nodded.

"Alright, it's settled then." Shang smiled and started his story. "Now I bet all of you are thinking that it isn't a first date. For one thing, it's not the usual first date and it's not traditional, but then again your mother isn't either." Mulan shook her head and smiled. Shang laughed. "But I mean if a boy and a girl like each other and are spending time together, then shouldn't it be considered a date?"

Mulan opened her mouth to object, but decided to be polite and keep quiet.

"One," Shang turned to Mao, "When I was at camp, your mother was infatuated with me."

"Which," Mulan added, "by the way, he did not even find out until after I told him."

Shang laughed. "When training came, I would take off my shirt and your mother would be looking at me all wide-eyed and gazing in awe."

At once every one of the kids started laughing. Chen, Mao, and Zhou immediately gave their father a high five, while the girls teased their mother. Even the boys gave their mother a hug and then teased her along with the girls.

"Hey, hey, hey," Mulan said once they quieted down. "In all fairness I was at an all boys' camp. I had never seen anything like _that _before and it _looked nice_…" she trailed off.

"What was that Mulan? What did you say? I didn't catch that last bit," Shang said, embarrassing her.

Mulan's face turned a bright red and she yelled, "It looked nice! Okay, there I said it." She laughed nervously, and was joined by every one else. "Besides, being half naked on a first date is not a good impression you should be leaving with our kids Shang."

Shang laughed. "Anyways, I think my favorite part of the date was when your mother came up to me right before we were shipped out. I was arguing with Chi Fu about the soldiers and getting badly insulted. So I ran into your mother and she says to me in the deepest and manliest voice she can do, 'Hey I'll hold him and you punch…or not. For what it's worth, I think you're a great Captain.'"

"Yeah and you stop and smile!" Mulan added.

"But so do you!" Shang finished. "Your mother smiles and stares at me dreamily as I walk away."

Mulan laughs. "Anyways, to finish it off, I save your father's life up on the mountain. I get wounded instead and your father finds out I'm a woman in the tent."

"Whoa," Chen says, "How did you find out she was a woman in the tent?" He winked.

Mulan and Shang threw him a look. "He inspected the wound Li Chen. Get your mind out of the ground." Mulan sighs and continues, "I find out the Huns are in the mountains and follow your father to the palace. I warn him that the Huns are in the city and of course your father, with his macho pride, ignores me and says that he cannot trust a woman. As I had said, the Huns were in the dragon that had been following your father the whole time, and they capture the Emperor. I devise a plan that asks for your uncle Yao, Chien Po, and Ling to dress in dresses. We get the Emperor back and it's just your father and Shan Yu up in the palace battling it out. Your father gets knocked unconscious and I save him once again. I get the greatest honor of being bowed to by the Emperor himself and all of China. And now, ask your father how he let me go on our first date."

"Oh no," Lanying sighed. "What did he do?"

"I gave her a pat on the back and told her, 'You fight good'," Shang muttered.

Mei groaned, "Oh dad that isn't even proper…"

"I know!" Shang interrupted her. "I know! I know! I know!"

Zhou laughed and said to his father, "So let me get this straight, you let her go up on the mountains, mother luckily followed you back but you sent her home once again, and then you had a second chance up at the palace, and you send her home once again without as to any confession of love whatsoever? That's pathetic."

"Hey!" Shang angrily glared at his son. "In all fairness, I did follow her home."

"Yeah," Jia scoffed. "To give her back her supposed helmet. Nice work Mr. Prince Charming." She turned to Mulan. "Mother, please say your story is much better."

"Hey, in dad's defense," Chen said, "He was nervous and he didn't exactly know he was on a date until later." Chen chuckled. "My dad's first date was with a guy."

Mulan laughed. "Alright, alright. It's my turn. It was a few days after your father had followed me home. He had gone home to bring the news of your grandfather's death to your aunt and uncle. Your father finally returned that day around the afternoon. It was so unexpected…"

_Mulan was cleaning in the backyard and her mother had warned her to be dressed and pampered before the sunset. She, of course, did not listen to her and completely ignored her, so Mulan was still planting flowers in the garden when Shang came._

"_Are those your favorite types of flowers?" Shang asked from behind her._

_Mulan immediately jumped and turned around to face Shang. "I…uh, no. These aren't. My favorite flower is…"_

"_These?" Shang asked and pulled out a bouquet of magnolia flowers._

_A smile quickly grew on her face and she started to blush a bright red. "Thank you," she said. "I better go get changed…" Mulan said and ran into the house, "Come inside!"_

_While Mulan was getting dressed she admired the bouquet of flowers placed on the table near her bed. She had placed them there so she could smell the roses in the morning and right before she would go to bed so they would be in her dreams. Mulan picked a simple blue dress and walked out of the room._

_When she walked to the kitchen where Shang and her parents were, she could feel all eyes upon her, but the only one she chose to look at was Shang's, whose eyes were intent on hers. "Are you ready?" he asked her._

"_Ready for what?" Mulan asked. _

"_Just trust me," Shang said with a smile. _

_He had taken her to a village not far from her own. This village was celebrating its protection by a moon goddess. There was dancing, food, and much more going on. Mulan was hungry so they first stopped by the food table, where she first found out about Shang's favorite type of food. They then visited by the game booths and stopped at an arrow competition._

"_Let's play a game here," Mulan challenged. "If I win, then you get to pick whatever prize you want, including me doing whatever it is you want."_

"_And if I win?" Shang asked._

"_Same prize, and the pride that you know that pupil will never be better than the teacher," Mulan said with a smile._

_Shang smiled, "Fair enough."_

_It was a close game, but Shang eventually won hit the center more times than Mulan did._

"_So what is it that you want Li Shang?" Mulan asked as they walked down the cobblestone road._

_Shang grabbed her hand and smiled, "How about a dance?"_

_Mulan smiled, "I would have danced with you even if you hadn't won or not."_

_For almost the whole night, they danced away to all fast paced songs, twirling and jumping around gracefully. They often received the praise of being the best dancing couple from other couples around. But the last song was a slow song and Shang asked if Mulan wanted to still dance. She smiled and nodded yes._

_Shang gently placed one hand around her waist and took one of her hands. Mulan got her other hand and placed it on the back of the opposite shoulder. For a while no one said anything and they both avoided any eye contact. _

"_Shang," Mulan finally said after a long silence. I love you was what she wanted to say but she didn't. "Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked._

_Shang smiled, "I am. Are you?" _

_Mulan smiled and nodded, "It really is a pretty night. I'm glad I went out tonight. I would have missed out on the pretty stars, this festival, and spending time with you."_

"_Mulan," Shang said with a deep breath, "I…" He looked down but then found the courage to look her in the eyes and say, "I always love spending time with you." Mulan opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. He leaned in closer to her to kiss her, but was interrupted by the applause of the people around them. Immediately they pulled apart and looked away from each other._

"_Congratulations," a man said who looked like the head of the whole village. "You have been voted by a unanimous as the Moon Celebration couple of the night. For a prize, please accept this small porcelain sculpture." He handed a beautiful dancing sculpture to both of them. _

_Soon Shang took Mulan home. They walked the whole time in silence. He dropped her off at the back door of the house._

"_Well I guess this is goodbye for tonight," Shang said as they stood at the door. "I'll visit soon, I promise."_

_Mulan smiled, "Good. I can't wait." She smiled and turned to knock on the door, but Shang's hand stopped her. Mulan turned to look at him questioningly._

"_Wait," Shang said, "I know what I want for my prize."_

_Mulan laughed, "I thought the dance was your prize."_

"_But you told me that you would have danced with me anyway," Shang answered her._

_Mulan smirked, "Fine. What do you want your highness? I am your loyal servant."_

_Shang laughed and leaned in to gently kiss her on the lips. He snuck his arms around her waist pulling her in closer, while she placed her arms around his neck. Once they broke apart, Shang knocked on the door. Mulan smiled at him, not keeping her eyes off him._

"_Good night Fa Mulan," he said and quickly kissed her again before departing for the night._

"_Good night Captain," she replied and watched him run to the stables to get his horse. She then watched him ride off into the night._

_Her mother opened the back door to allow Mulan to walk in. She noticed Mulan was all smiles. "So how was it?" Her mother asked._

_Mulan turned and smiled at her mother replying, "Perfect."_

The girls sighed dreamily, while the boys smirked at their father. "I can't believe you were so romantic," Mei said to Shang.

Shang chuckled and Mulan replied, "Oh no, he can be very romantic, it's just his idea of romance that is troubling."

Lanying scoffed, "You can say that again."

Mulan laughed, "Oh no you have to give your father more credit than you are giving him. There is so much he has done that you have no idea about."

"Why don't you tell us about it?" they asked.

Mulan smiled at Shang, who squeezed her hand in reply. "I will soon, but we need to eat dinner." She then turned to Mao and asked, "So what are you going to write about Mao?"

Mao smiled, "I think I have a good idea."

* * *

The next day, Mao stood up at the front of his class in front of all of his classmates and told the story of his father's idea of a first date versus his mother's idea of a first date. There were several laughs and several happy sighs, but overall a good story that was enjoyed by everyone, including some of the parents who had chosen to visit.

"Overall," Mao concluded, "if you think about it, anything can be a first date, I mean just look what it led to, marriage and six happy children. I guess the lesson here is: one man's idea of trash may be one man's idea of treasure. You'll never know just how important something is until you really look at it. As unorthodox as my parents' actual first meeting and my father's idea of a first date was, 'I cannot curse my father's actual idea of romance', just for your information on a side note my sister said that. I have to be thankful for it. If that had never happened then I would not be here today telling you about it and there would not have been a second date, which my mother still considers as a first date. So everyone has their own different views on something, but in the end, it doesn't really matter." Mao bowed. "Thank you!"

Thunderous herds of applause and praise were for the little boy, but the one he cared about the most was the smiles he got from his parents who were sitting in the back.

"Mao certainly has a sense of humor," Mulan whispered to Shang.

He laughed, "He got that from you."

"And hopefully my sense of romance too," Mulan added jokingly.

"Hey," Shang said, "I've been getting slack about that this whole time. If anything, I thought you would be the one to back me up on it."

Mulan smiled, "Well if it's any comfort, I can just say there wouldn't have been a second or a third or a fourth or a fifth date if it hadn't been for your 'romantic ideas'." She laughed. "But it's not the only reason why fell for you Li Shang." Mulan kissed him gently on the lips, "It all started on your idea of a first date."


End file.
